Lay Abstract:
Copper Associated Hepatopathy (CAH) is a very common liver disease in Labrador retrievers that causes significant liver injury and failure if untreated. The causes and mechanisms of CAH are complex and likely involve genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors such as diet. Applying a multi-omics approach to study CAH will address this complexity and articulate the contributing causes and disease pathways. Additionally, multi-omic analyses of blood samples from Labradors will help identify biomarkers that help non-invasively screen, diagnose, and differentiate CAH from immune-mediated chronic hepatitis, another very common chronic liver disease in dogs. This study will utilize a multi-omics approach to assess CAH in Labrador retrievers. Multi-omics including genomics (DNA analysis), transcriptomics (RNA analysis), metabolomics (expression of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins), and copper-specific proteomics (copper-bound proteins) and free copper measurements will be performed and compared between Labrador retrievers with CAH, Labrador retrievers with immune-mediated chronic hepatitis, and healthy Labrador retrievers. The study aims to improve our understanding and non-invasive diagnosis of CAH to ultimately optimize patient outcomes and liver health in Labrador retrievers and other breeds affected by CAH.